Thursday, March 24, 2011

If you can remember- I gave a step by step art lesson for a "mystery project" a few months back, well, now the secret can be unveiled! It was the cover for Chicago's vey own Smart Alex catalog cover. Visit their website (smartalexinc.con) today for ALL your humorous card and novelty needs!

As my birthday approaches, I think of staying healthy. Luckily, I only seem to age in a chronological way and not in any physical appearance. In fact, dare I say, I just get better and better! So, to help YOU out, my closest and dearest friends, here are a couple ways to keep yourself in tip top shape!The "Body Beautiful System" seems fantastic. "Lie down for 5 pleasant minutes daily while doing one simple concentrated exercise" read the instructions, "to burn up pounds of fat!"I know what I'll be giving out this Christmas!

A Time For Giving (you)!A Time For Getting (me)!Thanks to the amazing Beth (Vicious Velvet) Cisco, for the early b-day surprise of greatest painting every created in the history of humankind."Mitch, what about the Mona Lisa? That's a much better painting!" some sorry excuse for shoes asks."Better not to speak and be thought a fool then to speak and remove all doubt." the wise Mitch responds. He continues, "Does the Mona Lisa have actual tassels, that, with the aid of a 9 volt battery, actually SPIN in F**KING CIRCLES?!!"Thank you again my BBBF of the black velvet canvas.The M.O'C basement of wonderment now has it's crown jewel!

More time filling…From the Archives!This is what a young Mitch drew like as he started his ventures into the big world of commercial art. You can almost visualize me in my knickers, holding a big rainbow lollipop cheerfully skipping to art directors to show my portfolio.

Just to fill the time….From the Archives!Did about 4 or 5 spreads for Hustler.NO, you're thinking of PLAYGIRL! Ah, memories… Mr. July 1991. You might be able to find it on ebay. Think I was the only Playgirl beefcake pin-up that insisted on keeping black socks on.I have my dignity!Anyway- I did ILLUSTRATIONS for Hustler (I avoided mentioning this specific achievement on career day visiting my kids school to give a talk).Here's one of 'em!

A tip of the hat to Rusty Nails and The Music Box for another wang dang doodle of a time at the Sci-Fi Film Festival. Guessing this pic was taken during the much too suspenseful to look at "Rubber", my personal pick of the movie litter! Keep up with all the Rusty film extravaganzas including The Music Box Massacre, 24 hours of the best in horror and Terror in the Aisles the triple fright features at The Portage (all of which include spooky vendors, vintage coming attractions, frightening film shorts and special guest stars)! America thanks you Rusty!

Saturday, March 19, 2011

While you're at the Windy City Burlesque Festival, make sure to pick up this wang dang doodle of a t-shirt (along with tons of other cool merchandise)!As for the model- it's the best I could do on short notice.

I caught the first of the 3 Friday shows (8, 10 and midnight) without any idea of the lineup. My only thought being I'm elderly and sleepy, so I'd better be done by 10. I got over that thought as soon as the Flaming Dames hair rocked the audience to Welcome to the Jungle. Every act that followed was an amazing example of what makes burlesque fun - amazing skills, humor, cleverness and a whole heaping' helping of (insert sound of wolf whistle here). Even the 17 rejected marriage proposals didn't put a damper on the good times (you'd think at least ONE of the 17 would say yes! I mean, the odds HAD to be on my side!). Having been all revved up, I tried for the 10pm show too, but even to a celebrity like myself, it was long sold out. Don't let this happen to you! Order your tickets for 1, 2 or all 3 of tonights performances NOW!

Friday, March 18, 2011

If you like the eccentric, erratic, exceptional and extraordinary in moviemaking, stop on by The Projection Booth with Mike and Mondo Justin. You're sure to enjoy listening to these podcasts as you go about your business. Sadly, only 2 are up at the moment. I wanted to burn through 100 of 'em!Thumbs up!

Superstar of all things shiny and happy, Colleen Truscott Fry has magically transformed many of my dishpan hand housewife doodles into vibrant, vibrating, Va-Va-VaVoom Vegas showgirls by sprinkling her pixie dust glitter graphics formula all over them.Myself, and a grateful nation, thank you Colleen!Happy St. Pat's!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

I've already willed everything to The Art Institute of Chicago, so don't waste your time throwing money at me in the hopes of prying any of these treasures from my grip.Wha?!THAT MUCH MONEY?!Well, it wouldn't hurt to talk about it!

Seven a.m., waking up in the morningGotta be fresh, gotta go downstairsGotta have my bowl, gotta have cerealSeein’ everything, the time is goin’Tickin’ on and on, everybody’s rushin’Gotta get down to the bus stopGotta catch my bus, I see my friends (My friends)

Kickin’ in the front seatSittin’ in the back seatGotta make my mind upWhich seat can I take?

It’s Friday, FridayGotta get down on FridayEverybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend, weekendFriday, FridayGettin’ down on FridayEverybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend

7:45, we’re drivin’ on the highwayCruisin’ so fast, I want time to flyFun, fun, think about funYou know what it isI got this, you got thisMy friend is by my right, ayI got this, you got thisNow you know it

Kickin’ in the front seatSittin’ in the back seatGotta make my mind upWhich seat can I take?

It’s Friday, FridayGotta get down on FridayEverybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend, weekendFriday, FridayGettin’ down on FridayEverybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend

Tomorrow is SaturdayAnd Sunday comes after … wardsI don’t want this weekend to end

Patrice Wilson, I guess

R-B, Rebecca BlackSo chillin’ in the front seat (In the front seat)In the back seat (In the back seat)I’m drivin’, cruisin’ (Yeah, yeah)Fast lanes, switchin’ lanesWit’ a car up on my side (Woo!)(C’mon) Passin’ by is a school bus in front of meMakes tick tock, tick tock, wanna screamCheck my time, it’s Friday, it’s a weekendWe gonna have fun, c’mon, c’mon, y’all

It’s Friday, FridayGotta get down on FridayEverybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend, weekendFriday, FridayGettin’ down on FridayEverybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend

Winner of the most lethargic illustration of Batman EVER!I don't remember the thought process behind this- Batman thinking of what he forgot to get at the supermarket, watching someone undress through a skyscraper window or ?.No wonder I kept getting rejection letters from DC after sending in my samples!

DC Comics has looked through/in/around all their nooks and crannies, resulting in the official deceleration of these two unpublished paintings as "lost". The good news was that they were nice enough to cut me a check for "My very valuable artwork that I could have easily sold for many thousands of dollars!!!"The hard part was keeping a straight face while saying that.So, if you see them being offered from the back of a van, please make a citizen's arrest and mail the pieces to me.But don't tell DC.I'm not returning that check!

Trying to get an uncooperative cd cover done, but will take a minute to hurl some s**t at my Blog and see what sticks.The culprit. I like this first stab at the art, but it looks AWFUL when I tried to ink it. I'm on pencil version #3 now. I'll post the finished thang asap so you can compare (if the mood strikes).

Used to take all afternoon walks with my son Leo when he was a 'lil squirt (yes, I got some crazy hair going, but concentrate instead on how damn cute that kid of mine is). These are some of the pages from a keepsake book I made of the fun I had going on these strolls (and I'm pretty sure Leo enjoyed himself too). Pal Frank Fruzyna tagged along with us one day and snapped all the great pics of Leo and me together. We'd leave the condo in Roger's Park and hit a million points of interest, (equipped with a bag of peanuts for any hungry squirrels) including, but no where limited to, multiple playgrounds, the Armadillo's Pillow used book store, french fries at McDonalds, the lake, Larry's Comic Store and just sittin' around and shootin' the breeze. Of my favorite times on the planet earth, these may be equaled, but never topped.

Let's salute our hardest and most important workers, America's teachers!On this heartfelt celebratory mug you can almost hear this shaper of young minds screaming, "You're stupid, stupid, stupid!!!"I want the rest in the series of angry dissatisfied people mugs!

An illo done for a Spin Magazine CD review of "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness". I put the bug in her ear because they gave me the crappyest 3rd generation cassette tape to listen to for fear that I'd bootleg it.

When you're going through a stack of 25 cent comics at the next flea market and think, "That looks familiar!", you're right!One of the 6 or so covers did for Charlton Comics while attending the American Academy of Art. The thrill of being published far outweighed the smaller thrill of only being paid in contributor copies!

Saturday morning. Groggy. Overnight girls pizza party where they screamed through The Shining and Prom Night. Leo and I sequestered ourselves at the opposite end of the house and had a "Breaking Bad" marathon. That's my sleepy excuse for…From the Archives!A ye olden promotional advertising page featuring a piece originally done for a "Mr. X" comic cover!

Friday, March 11, 2011

Don't know if I got Tom this art in time to be slapped on a coaster, but if I did, look for it at…

During the week of March 12-19, Tom Huck's Evil Prints and Pabst Blue ribbon present a scaveneger head hunt to end all scavenger head huntz! Scattered throughout specially chosen bars in the St Louis area, when you order an "EVIL HEAD" or a PBR.....(for this week theyre the same thing!), you will get yerself a limited edition PBR/EVIL HEAD COASTER with unique/hand printed EVIL HEAD ART by Tom Huck, Gary Panter, Bill Fick, Sean Star Wars, Marc Hosford, Cannon Ball Press, Artemio Rodriguez, and MANY MORE! But wait, while thats cool enuff....we here at EP are about more bang for your EVIL BUCK! Collect them all and win a big ol surprise sumthin at Tom Huck's Printbangers ball on March 19th! Thats right Kids, hunt some headz and get some free stuff! Participating bars are: